WASHINGTON, USA - U.S. President George W. Bush's faith-based initiative, a cornerstone of his compassionate conservatism, is expected to win the approval on Wednesday of the Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives.
Yet the measure's fate remains in doubt as opponents in the Democratic-led Senate hope to kill it as an infringement of the constitutional separation of church and state.
The measure would seek to boost support for religious charities by making more federal grants available to them as well as by expanding tax deductions for charitable donations.
"The president's quite upbeat," House Republican Conference Chairman J.C. Watts of Oklahoma said on Tuesday as he emerged from a White House meeting with Bush.
"We think we will have the votes," Watts said. "I can't tell you how many Republicans and how many Democrats but I believe when it's all said and done we're going to have 218 Republicans and Democrats (a majority) with us to pass this legislation."
Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, a South Dakota Democrat, promised Bush last week he would bring up the measure in his chamber this year.
NOT ENOUGH VOTES NOW IN THE SENATE
But both proponents and opponents admit there are now not enough votes in the Senate to pass the bill and send it to Bush for his signature.
The Rev. Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, said, "If the House passes this measure, it will be a constitutional disaster of biblical proportions."
"This initiative is deeply and fatally flawed," Lynn said. "Americans shouldn't have to go to a church they may not believe in to get help from their government."
The drive for public and congressional approval of the measure stalled somewhat when it was disclosed last week the White House was considering a request for a regulation that would exempt religious charities like the Salvation Army from having to hire homosexuals.
The Washington Post quoted an internal Salvation Army document suggesting a link between a White House pledge to issue such a regulation in return for the group's support of Bush's faith-based initiative.
Bush, however, refused the request for the regulation, with aides stating current law already protects religious charities from hiring people who do not share their faith.
Regardless, critics saw the episode as evidence of the president's intention to funnel federal funds to religious groups that may discriminate.
Rep. Danny Davis, an Illinois Democrat, said he was initially uncertain about the bill but now supports it.
"I, like many other people, have been looking at the legislation and we've listened to all of the debate," Davis said.
"We've listened to the whole question of separation of church and state. We've looked at the issues of whether or not there's room for discrimination and I think all of those questions have been sufficiently answered," he said.
In addition to allowing religious charities to compete for more federal funds for social work, the bill would provide for $13 billion in additional tax breaks for charitable giving over 10 years.
The bill would allow taxpayers who do not itemize their tax returns to take tax deductions for contributions to charitable organizations and would increase caps on corporate charitable giving.
00:39 07-18-01
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